In the Alabama special election for U.S. Senate this year appointed Senator Luther Strange (R) gets an early assist from the Senate Leadership Fund. While Senator Strange was a statewide elected official prior to being appointed to the Senate this ad is geared towards introducing Strange as a Senator and what he has worked for both as Alabama Attorney General and as U.S. Senator. Clearly the Senate Leadership Fund is leaving little up to chance and is making sure voters know Strange before his opponents can try to get their campaigns up and running against him.

Karen Handel with a week left in the campaign for the Georgia 6th hits her opponent Jon Ossoff with a couple of big hits in one of her closing ads. In the ad linked here and below. Reminding voters that Ossoff lives outside the Georgia 6th and that his campaign funds come from largely outside of the state of Georgia. Overall its an ad driven at showing Handel as more connected to the 6th than Ossoff. With polls showing the race as close as it is both campaigns are using every tool they have to get the win on June 20th.

Standing in front of the UVA campus Tom Perriello continues to make Donald Trump a central theme in the race for the Democratic nomination for Virginia Governor. The push of both candidates to win over the Democratic voters with a strong progressive message can only do harm for the eventually winner come November. It is unlikely that either can swing back from this attacks to win over centrist or independent voters in the general election. The gambit of making a state election about national politics could pay off now, but not in the long run.

Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam released his latest touting his own progressive credentials and backing for the Democratic Governor's nomination race. While lacking the big name stars like Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren it does highlight his career on some progressive issues. Whether it is enough to counter the star power of the progressive leadership on the Democratic side is to be debated. What can't be debated will be Northam's ability to cover the state in this ad. That could be helpful to win the primary, but set him back come November.

Jon Ossoff hits a pro-jobs and pro-education message in his latest offering. This continues a campaign for the run off that seeks to appeal to local voters on growing the economy. The turn away from bigger national politics could be the point where Ossoff might win this election. A big debate tonight will set the tone for the closing two weeks and set who the favorite might be in the court of public/media opinion.

Senator Luther Strange (R) takes aim not only at Obama era policies, but also promotes his efforts as Alabama Attorney General to oppose President Obama in his latest TV ad. This early effort in the 2017 special election for the Alabama Senate seat vacated by now Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Strange clearly is moving to secure the right wing of the party early and touts the recent NRA endorsement in the ad as well. From all signs Strange is well positioned to win the special election for the remainder of the term for the seat he was appointed to fill.

The Congressional Leadership Fund redid its Georgia 6th ad linking Jon Ossoff to San Francisco and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi for the closing month of the runoff. The ad had featured San Francisco voters thanking Georgia voters for another vote in the House and showed a banner on a trolley car with both Ossoff and Pelosi on it. The San Francisco transit authority asked them to remove the trolley's from the ad and the CLF has complied. With a month to go a slew of new ads are in the offing from both sides. Recent polling has showed Ossoff to be gaining a small lead in this competitive race.

The DCCC throws a new ad into the mix with the Georgia 6th runoff just a month away. The ad tries to paint Karen Handel as an abuser of her public offices in the past. The problem with this ad is it opens up Democratic nominee Jon Ossoff to examination to his time as a Congressional staffer. Ossoff took similar overseas trips as a staffer in Congress. This won't move the needle in this election to the degree that other Democratic groups have with their grassroots. The on the ground side of the Georgia 6th is what needs to be watched and will win that race.

The Congressional Leadership Fund ads another hit on Rob Quist in the closing week of the Montana At-Large special election. The ad hits on the usual theme of tying the Democratic candidate to Nancy Pelosi. Polling has shown that Quist has been falling behind in the closing weeks, but the right mix of voters still could send him to Congress. Clearly the CLF isn't leaving anything to chance and the is a sign that any second wind for Quist isn't allowed to take hold.

Karen Handel reminds voters in her first ad of the Georgia 6th runoff that she does live in the 6th Congressional district. A subtle hint to voters that her opponent in the June 20th runoff isn't currently residing in the district. Recent polling has shown this race as a neck and neck contest, so ever little point that could be made impacts this race. Still the keys to this race are who can motivate their voters and a slight edge might have to go to Handel's opponent, Jon Ossoff, in that category.